How to Declare the BCS Major

A student who is ready to declare a Brain & Cognitive Sciences major should visit the BCS/NSC Undergraduate Program Office in Meliora Hall room 102. All the materials necessary to declare the major will be found there, including the Concentration Proposal form, Semester-By-Semester Planning Worksheet, and the BCS Faculty Advisor Assignment form.

The next step is to contact your BCS Advisor. Together, you can plan out the courses you will need to take and discuss options for independent research should you be so inclined. After the Advisor signs your Proposal form, return it, the worksheet, and a blue concentration form from Academic Support to the Program Coordinator in Meliora 102. Our Program Director will review the Proposal. Once approved, submit the completed blue concentration form to The College Center for Academic Support in Lattimore Hall 312.

When you declare your BCS major at Academic Support, The College will require you to declare how the Social Science and Humanities components of your undergraduate program will be satisfied. Under the College's "Rochester Curriculum", BCS is considered a Natural Science.

As a BCS major, you will be expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in the concentration and to meet with your advisor at least once a year. Should it become necessary to make a change in the program of study, you should consult your faculty advisor to be sure that the changes are appropriate and that they are noted in your advising record. Of course, all of the faculty, not merely your assigned advisor, are available for consultation with students on academic and career matters.

Course Overlap Policies

For the Class of 2009 and before:

For double majors, no more than two courses may be used to fulfill requirements for both concentrations. Students completing the B.S. degree in BCS may overlap a maximum of two additional courses (for a total of no more than four) if they fulfill preparatory or allied field requirements for both concentrations.

Students who are double majors are asked to provide a copy of the major declaration form for their second major.

For students declaring a major in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a minor in another subject, no more than one course may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.

For the Class of 2010 and after:

For double majors, no more than three courses may be used to fulfill requirements for both concentrations. Due to this policy, double majoring in BCS and in Neuroscience is strongly discouraged. For students completing the B.S. degree, only the BCS and Open Elective courses are included when counting overlaps.

Students who are double majors are asked to provide a copy of the major declaration form for their second major.

For students declaring a major in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a minor in another subject, no more than two courses may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.

Advice About the Discipline

The faculty welcome contact with students curious about the Brain & Cognitive Sciences. If you would like to know more about the Department and what we do, and know a faculty member who might be able to help, you should approach that person directly.

For general advice about the Department's programs and courses you should contact the BCS/NSC Undergraduate Coordinator. She will advise on a range of issues, including the content of courses, the structure of programs, research opportunities, and the organization of a concentration or a minor. If you are contemplating a major or minor in Brain & Cognitive Sciences, or a major in Neuroscience, the undergraduate program coordinator will also put you in touch with a faculty member whose interests best match yours, and with whom you can discuss your plans and goals.

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